Sapphire had the egg basket, now repurposed as a moving tote, set on her hip as she slid thorough the street on her way to Rah once more.
Of all the things to need, moss is the dumbest. She thought to herself. The handful of fragile trinkets she had in her room still needed packed away, preferably in something soft, like moss. Like the moss that grew absolutely everywhere in the swamp. Which, for some reason, her entire household was out of. She was irritatedly skimming over the soil, leaving a light impression as she went.
Ah, well. It's a nice morning for a slither anyway.
The town was starting to wake up. A few voices sounded, several other Naga waved at her as she passed. She waved back, keeping up her pace.
Rah's market, his little orchard and flower grove, was only a little further ahead.
The unfurling blooms and bursting fruits added a splash of color, she thought, looking ahead at his stall. And so did the two other Naga, coiled up in front of Rah's stall. They were both shades of brown, with exquisite patterns. She didn't recognize either of them.
She slithered closer, and started trying to listen in.
"...all over the West swamp. They were everywhere. We made it out early, but there's still plenty of people in there."
Sapphire's heart skipped a beat. The West Swamp was where he lived. What had happened?
She picked up her pace, and shot over to the stall, coming up beside the two men, looking between them and Rah, concerned.
"Rah? What's going on? I heard something about West Swamp?"
Rah's deep black eyes betrayed amusement immediately.
"Your fiancé had a bachelor party last night in West swamp, Sapphire. Sounds like he ran the whole party ragged."
"Well, he would." She said with a smirk. "Didn't even invite me. He sing any of his songs?"
The two men nodded. "Sang lots of em', yeah. Dancing tunes's what that man has. Never heard a voice like his either. He sings so fast..."
"He's a rhyme god, that's for sure." She said. "How's he today? Tired out?"
One of the men shrugged and chuckled. "Missing."
She pulled herself erect, and took a sharp, shocked breath. Her hood wilted like a silk fan being closed.
"Missing?" She cocked her head and slid forward a few feet. "What'd you mean, missing?"
"Well, we went to the last part of the party last night. He was having a wild time, everyone was. It was great. But about the time the party was winding down, he just up and disappeared. No one saw him leave. He's just... gone."
She looked at them with a wild flame in her eyes, her hood flaring out without her permission. "Where was the party?"
"Well hold on now." The man said. "He told us something while he was playing a song on that lute of his. It was kinda... thrown into the song..."
"What'd he say?"
"You know the tune of 'drive me mad'?"
She nodded.
"He sang tune, but with his own words. Ballad about love and such. He said-"
'I fight for love but feel the sting, around my home they take to wing, bite and sting they drive me back but for her love they can beat me black. Until she comes to take my hand, I'll fight with them upon my land, you don't believe what I'm saying? Come to my land I'll share my pain.'
"It seemed like just part of the song at the time. But maybe his home is under siege."
She let her breath out. "Oh. Oh no."
"We thought he was joking at the time."
Sapphire crossed her arms and exhaled sharply. "I'm leaving to find him."
"Oh, well, I'm sure he's fine." One of the men said, brushing it off. "I mean, he's a warrior. He carries that huge blade all the time. What could possibly happen to him?"
Lots could happen. Especially when he says he's not safe in his own home.
She shrugged. "I'm not that worried about what's gonna happen to him. I'm worried that somethings' gonna happen to him without me." she said emphatically. "Now, where was the party?"
"You know that hovel near the mud caverns? The one with all the raspberries around it?"
She nodded. She smiled as she did. It was their favorite meeting spot...
"That's where he threw it. I suggest heading out there if you wanna look for him."
Sapphire nodded. "Thanks." She turned, and started to slide away.
"Hey, Saphhire, wait for a moment." Rah said, and reached up to the roof of his stall.
"You're not going without me, Saph. You're gonna need some protection out there, just in case there's actually some kind of danger." Rah brought a long scythe down from the roof. Its razor-edge gleamed. "Usually, I use this for pruning and harvesting fruit. But it'll work for a weapon."
Sapphire looked at the scythe. It was anything but a pruning tool. She wondered where he'd gotten it.
Rah started to slither out from around his stall, looking at Sapphire.
"You're coming?"
"Of course. I want to meet this man. Besides, I need to get out. I've spent too much time with my fruit. It's time I did something, eh... 'adventurous' again."
She frowned, impressed.
Rah hefted his scythe over his shoulder. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
